With autumn steadily approaching, here are a few of my favorite songs to listen to during the fall. Fall, for me, tends to lend itself to melancholy indie rock, with a sprinkling of other genres thrown into the mix.
1. Death Cab for Cutie – “Summer Skin”
Benjamin Gibbard uses the change of the seasons as a metaphor for leaving a romance in this nostalgic fall classic.
2. American Football – “The Summer Ends”
Another ode to failed romances from the band that writes those types of songs the best. The horns on this song are fantastic.
3. Fleetwood Mac – “Rhiannon”
Fleetwood Mac’s best song captures the feeling of a fall night perfectly.
4. Title Fight – “Head in the Ceiling Fan”
The guitars on “Head in the Ceiling Fan” feel like a hazy daydream, perfect for fall days.
5. The Mamas and the Papas – “California Dreamin”
California Dreamin’ is probably one of the most definitive fall songs ever written.
6. Grizzly Bear – “Two Weeks”
This piano-driven song feels like crisp fall air.
7. Maps & Atlases – “Solid Ground”
Maps & Atlases’ “Perch Patchwork” album is a definitive fall album for me, and this track is probably the best example of the autumnal feeling that the record gives. Subdued layers of instrumentation build upon one another.
8. Vampire Weekend – “Oxford Comma”
“Oxford Comma” is the perfect song for walking to class on a bright fall day, peppy and brisk.
9. Wild Nothing – “Shadow”
A beautifully wistful song that was intended to be listened to on dark fall nights. The subdued guitar and bass lines are propelled by an energetic drum beat and gorgeous strings that give the song a nice tension.
10. Slowdive – “Alison”
This shoegaze classic captures the feeling of a long autumn night.
11. The Tallest Man on Earth – “The Wild Hunt”
Folk music has always felt like the fall and changing leaves to me, and this song is a perfect example of that.
12. Cloud Nothings – “Fall In”
The blend of indie rock and punk that Cloud Nothings provide feels like a busy fall day in the best way possible.
13. Craft Spells – “After the Moment”
The perfect song for when you’re at a nighttime party in a sweater and you’re sad because the girl you like is talking to someone else.
14. Giraffage – “Close 2 Me”
Sampled R&B nostalgia that is perfect for fall nights.
15. Weezer – “Only in Dreams”
The fantastic closing track to Weezer’s classic blue album is a great song for the fall, with slowly building layers that culminate in an incredibly emotive guitar solo.
16. Neutral Milk Hotel – “Communist’s Daughter”
Neutral Milk Hotel is a band that defines fall music for me, and this track is a fantastic example of why that is. Jeff Mangum’s calming vocal melody and lightly strummed acoustic guitar make this song perfect for a fall evening.
17. Beach House – “Myth”
Victoria Legrand’s vocals feel like they have the power to usher in the changing of the seasons, and the lush but restrained instrumentation further cements the feeling of change.
